Curated by Performances à la Carte, Jazz ‘n Paz returns with its’ seasonal intimate jazz series with concerts showcasing some of Los Angeles’ finest jazz musicians. Taking place on early Sunday evenings, the second concert of the Fall 2019 season series continues on November 17 at 5:00 p.m. with 2 + Latin featuring Louie Cruz Beltran and Nick Mancini. Jazz ‘n Paz takes place at Neighborhood UU Church in Pasadena.
Featuring Internationally renowned Latin bandleader Louie Cruz Beltran on congas and vocals; Nick Mancini on vibes; and Jamie Perez, vocals; along with Carlos Vivas on piano, Ernie Nuñez on bass, and Abelardo Bolaño on drums.
Louie Cruz Beltran is one of the most in demand bandleaders on the scene, connecting to audiences with dynamic percussion, soaring vocals and humor. Whether he is at the Hollywood Bowl, the Concord Jazz Festival, or an intimate supper club, Louie always connects with his audience, delivering a crowd pleasing, high energy performance. In addition to being recognized as a master percussionist, Louie is a superb singer, and a versatile entertainer, performing jazz, Latin jazz, Great American Songbook Standards, R&B classics and original compositions and salsa favorites.
Nick Mancini graduated Manhattan School of Music’s Master’s degree program in jazz performance, establishing himself as a sought-after presence in NYC’s jazz scene. In 2006 he relocated to Los Angeles, where his undeniable jazz wizardry was immediately recognized and an eager following of appreciators gained momentum. Since then he has steadily performed, recorded and promoted the Los Angeles jazz scene with performances, multiple recordings and his own jazz series at the gallery Curve Line Space. Mancini has performed at such notable venues as Birdland (NYC), the Aspen Music Festival, Catalina Jazz Club, Jazz at LACMA, Jazz Bakery, Troubadour, Hotel Cafe and virtually every jazz venue in Los Angeles. A fierce and prolific composer and arranger, Mancini boasts nine independently released records under his own name, the latest entitled The Long Game. His original compositions, along with some choice jazz standards, create the fertile soil for spontaneous arrangements, which are, at once, fresh, incisive, and cinematic. With a host of world-class musicians in his midst, he selects from the cream-of-the-crop to form his highly energized Collective.
Singer, songwriter and artistic director of Performances à la Carte, Jamie Perez is considered a very versatile singer; a performance artist of eclectic tastes and total vocality. Although she studied with some of the world’s most renown classical singers/teachers, she considers her first voice teachers and interpreters of song growing up to be jazz greats Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson and Ella Fitzgerald and admits she frequently gave “Frankie” a spin (all via vinyl). Though the music of Jazz and Broadway were her first loves, her father, a lover of jazz but a devoted operaphile, persuaded her (or else) to pursue a career in classical music, which she did very successfully for 30 years. She is delighted to return to her roots and sing some of the jazz music she “cut her teeth on” (literally – she teethed on jazz album covers as an infant). Through her artistic endeavors with Performances à la Carte, she continues to create collaborative projects that promote artists, serve the public interest and that fuel her passion for beauty, authenticity and social justice.
$28 for each individual concert in advance (no reserved seating); tickets may be available at the door for $30 (based on availability); $20 for students with valid ID. Neighborhood UU Church is located at 301 North Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103. For tickets and more information please visit https://www.jazznpaz.com; email [email protected]; or call 626-296-9843.
Performances à la Carte is a collaborative arts events producer with a mission to create unique, original live performances utilizing multi-arts genres to showcase the diverse artistic community in the greater Los Angeles, San Gabriel and Crescenta Valley area and to connect the arts with social needs and issues that serve the public interest.